Donations can be made at this Chip-In link or directly to the veterinary clinic.

Please stop by the Blount County SPCA to tell them thank you for rescuing Bruno from his hellish existence.

Be well Bruno - fight to survive - you deserve to know what kindness is.

Case Updates

A Maryville man was put on probation after pleading guilty to aggravated animal cruelty in Blount County Circuit Court Monday morning.

Hank Anthony Stropp, 21, of Archer Avenue, made the plea to the charge, which is a Class E felony, in front of Judge Tammy Harrington.

He was sentenced to two years of supervised probation, and has to surrender any companion animals he may currently have to the authorities, according to Blount County Assistant District Attorney Ellen Berez.

Stropp cannot own any companion animals for the duration of his probation, and he has to follow all supervised rules. He will also have to pay restitution to Village Veterinary Hospital in Maryville, which cared for the dog that was rescued from Stropp.

Stropp turned himself over to authorities Feb. 7 after officials issued a felony warrant for his arrest. He was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, and was released on $1,500 bond Feb. 8.

Last month, Stropp signed a waiver of a preliminary hearing in front of Judge Robert Headrick in Blount County General Sessions Court and public defender Stacey Nordquist, who was appointed to represent him. The case then went to Circuit Court.

SPCA took dog

The dog, named Bruno, was rescued from Stropp's home after a neighbor called the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

SPCA animal cruelty investigator Kellie Bachman said when she and volunteer Crystal Wallace found Bruno, they thought he was already dead. A 2-year-old shepherd/chow mix, Bruno was barely alive.

Stropp relinquished full custody of Bruno to the Blount County SPCA. The felony will now be on Stropp's record, Berez said.

"We negotiated with his attorney," Berez told The Daily Times Tuesday afternoon. "We're not expecting any problems, but you never know. If he cannot fulfill his obligations, his probation officer will file a violation, but we're not expecting any trouble from him."

Bachmann said Tuesday that Bruno was doing better after his condition worsened last month. "He's doing well with humidifier treatment," she said.

Blount Co. authorities have charged Hank Anthony Stropp with aggravated animal cruelty after a neighbor reported that a dog appeared to be starving.

The 21-year-old Maryville man turned himself into the Blount County Jail Tuesday night after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He said he couldn't afford to feed the animal. He's out of jail on bond.

The story of Stropp's dog-- a German Shepard-Chow mix named "Bruno" --has circulated through social media creating an outpouring of support.

In the words of his vet, his recovery is a remarkable one. But the rescuers say so is the community's support.

"He was frozen stiff with his neck thrown back and his eyes bulged out. And at first glance we really thought he was dead," said Crystal Wallace, a Blount County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals volunteer.

Bruno didn't look like he was going to make it through the night when volunteers from the BCSPCA helped save him from starvation.

"The pictures really told a story," Wallace said.

For the past seven days, he's been in Dr. Ed Lehman's care.

"He really did look like an animal with skin stretched over bones. He probably should be a 60 pound dog and he weighed less than 27 pounds. As of Thursday, he weighed 35 pounds," said Dr. Lehman.

The round the clock attention and nourishment has made Bruno a brand new dog.

"He's very popular," said Dr. Lehman.

The dog couldn't walk and could barely blink before he came to Village Veterinary Hospital care. He was emaciated and covered in fleas.

"Most of his problem was just associated with nutrition. So we have a problem with intestinal worms, heart worm disease, but other than that he's made a remarkable comeback. He's a great dog too. Everybody loves him," he said.

In fact, people who've never met him have connected with Bruno. It started when a SPCA volunteer, Crystal Wallace, asked for a prayer on Facebook.

"Next thing I know we were slammed with nearly a thousand dollars in less than 24 hours. It just escalated," said Wallace.

Hundreds of comments on the internet and now nearly $3,500 in donations have been sent Bruno's way.

References

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